Meeting at Quigley’s Restaurant
593 Columbia Turnpike
East Greenbush, NY
February 22, 2018

Members Attending (16): Roberto Martinez, Andy Leyhane, Murray Forth, Pat Bailey, Debbie Rodriguez, Peter Brown, Debbie Brown, Jim Leyhane, Phil Kellerman, A.J. Amato, Dean Calamaras, Ray Hannan, Dick Drumm, Bonnie Nasca, Becky Raymond, Phil Nasca.

Guests: None.

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Announcements/Business

OPENING — President Roberto Martinez greeted attendees and noted that today is the 113th birthday of Rotary. SRC’s 58th birthday will fall on March 2.

CLYNK RECYCLING — It was suggested that we should maintain a supply of Clynk recycling bags and bar code stickers in the locked cabinet off the Quigley’s meeting room so members in need of them can conveniently pick them up. We also will make bags available to breakfast meeting members who do not participate in dinner meetings.

LEUKEMIA PROJECT — Local high school student Olivia Sterantino has requested a donation for her cancer research project. She is hoping to raise $10,000 for the Leukemia Foundation. It was proposed that the club donate $500. Debbie Brown made a motion to do so, Becky Raymond seconded it, and it was approved.

INITIATIVES ARCHIVE — Anyone working on projects for the club is asked to be sure to complete an official initiatives form and send it to Matt Smith.

PETS TRAINING — Andy Leyhane has completed the second PETS (Presidents-Elect Training Sessions) workshop, preparing him to assume the club presidency on July 1.

ROTARACT — Members are asked to save their newest issues of The Rotarian magazine, which is the Rotaract issue. We plan to give the copies to members of our new Rotaract club. (We have long had a link on our website to the online version of the magazine. Click here to access it.)

TREE PLANTING — District 7190 has devised a tree planting project in line with RI’s global plan to have one tree planted for every Rotarian. By vote, the club has agreed to plant one tree for every 48 members in our club. This will be passed on to a committee so coordination can begin.

EVENT REMINDERS — Rotary Home Cooking events: February 24 Greek dinner at the Calamaras residence; March 24 cocktail social at the Brewer residence; April 7 dinner at the Forth residence; May 19 event at the Martinez residence. … Our March 22 meeting will be held at the UAlbany School of Public Health in conjunction with the Rotaract club at that venue. Details to come. … Lane sponsors still are needed for the March 4 “Bowling for Vets” fundraiser. … Samantha Raynor, manager at the Spinney at Pond View residential complex, will speak at our March 1 meeting..

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Committee Working Sessions

All the new committees were represented at tonight’s meeting, and there were lively discussions by each group about goals and initiatives.

This aligns with the club wanting to have more members involved with our initiatives and being part of their execution.

Each committee gave a report of initiatives they will be working on including such things as fundraising, donations, increasing dues to cover some club initiatives, student exchange program, Ronald McDonald House, Easter baskets, and Rotaract.

It was decided the future club assemblies should be working sessions and that the weekly agenda give time for committee updates.

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